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Topic: Faith, human nature and Reason? (Read 689 times)

As we know, many traditionalists churches teach many doctrines that are absolutely nonsense. A Jehovahs Witness friend of mine told me that a religion needs to be biblically sound and reasonable. Okay, a lot of their doctrines seem reasonable. Well nothing too absurd except for their belief that Blood Transfusions are bad, or that Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was not forgivable. Much of their doctrine seems to over-complicate biblical matters(Jesus reign in 1914, along with the belief in the 144,000 reigning in heaven as rulers.) I dont know how they came to that conclusion.

As we know, many people have been turned away from Christianity due to the Traditional Teaching on Everlasting Punishment. How can a loving God send people to some horrible place without any escape? How does any earthly finite sin equal infinite horrible torments? Why would being in the wrong religion constitute everlasting Punishment? Why does not God show us more light on everlasting punishment if that is a real threat? Why would someone in the right mind choose a lake of Fire? Why would an all merciful God cast someone into hell just for not going through a priest before death? Why cant we repent after death, but can repent anytime during life? Why would an all knowing God brought so many humans into the world just to suffer unending punishment? What purpose could Everlasting punishment possibly fulfill? Why would God just not destroy a wicked soul and put them out of their misery? How is evil supposed to be defeated if there is this everlasting hell? How can the bible possibly be good news if most of Humanity is doomed to hell? How can Jesus be sucessful if his death only saved a small percentage of Humanity? How could this pleasure God, and if this hurt him so much and were all powerful, why would he not do anything about it? How can the saved enjoy paradise if most of their friends and family are in everlasting agony? What kind of paradise would it be if it were all just a bunch of conceited zealots?

These are all the questions I, like many others have questioned on everlasting punishment.

I find that the only reason the doctrine survived was due to a poorly translated bible, and Pagan mythology.

Makes more sense. Finite sin=finite Punishment, Punishments are for restoration, evil does not last forever. You get the picture.

But then theres stuff that we dont understand, such as a God with no beginning or an end. I dont think any current human reasoning could understand that. Why Jesus had to spill blood to redeem mankind. Thats still a tough one. Why was Israel the first race to understand the covenant?

But then, other common Church teachings teach that we must accept all of their dogma. Problem is humans do not naturally want to be told what to believe something based on another persons interpretation. Yet the bible teaches that we would know them by their fruits, not what dogmas they accepted.

Other Churches are very legalistic, and can base it on bible passages. However Jesus came down real hard on the pharisees for their legalism. By human nature, we do not like following rigid legal systems without any freedom of thought or action. And the bible strictly condemns that sort of thing.

There are also several other instances where people think differently. Some feel that a women should cook and clean, that money is most important. ect. But others would see that as absurd.